They're Hurting
by Al-497
Summary: Not really a way to sum this up... very angsty. Suicidal Jinx, distraught KF-more dialogue than anything. Very short one-shot that I wrote due to my immense amount of feels at the moment. Rated because mention of suicide and cutting. R&R.


**A/N: Okay so a little bit of a warning before you read: this is angsty. Even writing it I was getting upset. It may because I personally relate to Jinx in some way throughout this story, but still. **

** I got the inspiration while I was watching The Avengers, during the scene where Bruce finds out about the containment center made for the Hulk, and when he admits to having tried to kill himself before. **

** So, I hope you like the story, I put a lot of feeling and effort into it, even though it's short.**

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The party was over. The titans were beginning to clean up the ops room after the Honorary Titans had cleared out. Only two remained: Jinx and Kid Flash. Titans East were also there, helping the original Titans to finish cleaning up and go through the remaining paperwork.

Jinx was still there because Robin hadn't trusted her enough to place her on one of the newly formed Titans teams.

Kid Flash was still there because he wouldn't leave Jinx.

Jinx sat on the couch in the ops room watching as Beast Boy and Cyborg played each other in some robot video game where they fought each other. Kid Flash was off with Robin, Aqualad and Speedy somewhere. Raven was off meditating and Starfire was with Bumblebee as well as Mas and Menos in the kitchen cooking some delicacy from her home planet. Beast Boy had given Jinx a warning glance when she promised Starfire she would try a plate, but Jinx hadn't given much heed. The lunch ladies in the Hive Academy weren't necessarily top notch cooks, neither were any of the members of the Hive-Five, so Jinx was used to disgusting food.

Cyborg nudged her knee. "You wanna play a game?"

She glanced at him, taking him in. When he was Stone, she thought she loved him. Granted, she was about twelve or thirteen at the time, so love was a mindless game back then. It didn't mean anything. Stone was gone, though, and Cyborg was here. Cyborg was real, and he was nothing more than a friend.

She grinned. "If you're ready for an ass-whooping."

Beast Boy chuckled. "Ten bucks on Jinx!"

The doors to the ops room opened and Raven drifted out. She took in the scene before her before moving to sit on the other side of Mas. "Never took you for the type to play games," she said as she watched Jinx furiously press the buttons on her remote.

Jinx shrugged. "When you live with five boys, there's not much else to do."

Raven snorted. "Three boys are bad enough for me. At least two of mine are intelligent."

Jinx chuckled. "If you're referring to the moronic tendencies of the Hive Five, you're so right."

"I didn't mean to include you in that," Raven said, glancing at Jinx.

Jinx whooped as her robot knocked out Cyborg's. "Oh, I don't mind. I was a moron for sticking with those guys in the first place."

Beast Boy nodded. "No offense- but yeah. Why'd you stay with those losers for so long anyway?" he asked as Jinx passed him the controller.

"I didn't have a place to go," Jinx responded, leaning back on the couch.

Raven offered a small smile. "You can stay with the Titans, Jinx."

Cyborg and Beast Boy nodded in agreement. "With your hexes, the Titans would be unstoppable!" Beast Boy cried.

Jinx laughed. "Thanks, BB."

"Don't laugh at him," Raven muttered. "You'll just encourage him."

Beast Boy glowered at Raven. "Hey!"

Cyborg pressed the buttons on his remote and let out an elongated "BOO-YAH!" as his robot knocked out Beast Boy's, leading to a string of whines emitting from Beast Boy.

Raven rolled her eyes. "They're going to start arguing."

Jinx sighed. "That's the worst—I hate when boys argue over video games."

Raven nodded in agreement. "I could show you around the tower, if- ow," she muttered, cringing.

Jinx placed a comforting hand on Raven's shoulder. "You alright?"

Raven grimaced. "Someone's had a peak in their emotions, and it's giving me a massive headache."

As the words left her lips, the doors to the ops room opened and a fuming Kid Flash stomped in, a small device in his hand. He stomped over to Jinx. "We're leaving."

She glanced at him, bewildered. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Robin moved to stand in front of Kid Flash, his arm outstretched, palm open. "Give it to me, Wally."

"Why should I, Dick?" Kid Flash sneered.

Starfire and Bumblebee drifted in from the kitchen, Mas and Menos zipping in behind them. Speedy and Aqualad were shuffling their feet awkwardly, whilst Raven, Beast Boy and Cyborg watched the exchange with interest from their spots on the couch.

"Please, friends," Starfire said. "Why is the tension in the room?"

Kid Flash clenched his jaw. "Robin just isn't a very trusting person," he muttered.

Jinx put her hand on Kid Flash's shoulder. "Wally, what happened?"

Kid Flash held up his hand, which was clenching a small device. "This happened. I found it in the weapons artillery. It strips the target of their powers and all but kills them in one blow. And guess what it's labeled?"

Jinx gingerly took the device from his hands and looked at it. On the bottom, written in sloppy hand, was the name 'Jinx'. She looked up at Robin. "Why do you have this?"

His eyes were downcast. "I didn't know if we could trust you."

She rolled her eyes. "You mean you didn't know when and where I would betray you, so you had to prepared? Prepared for the moment I snap, for the moment where I betray and kill you all?" she scoffed. "That thing wouldn't do shit. You can't kill me, Robin. Not a freak like me. Believe me, I've tried."

Every mouth in the room was ajar at this point. Jinx's cheeks flushed as realization of what she just admitted dawned on her. She weakly held the device out to Robin and dropped it in his still-waiting palm. "There. Have it."

Robin shook his head. "Jinx, I'm sorry. Look, I don't need this thing anymore, okay?"

Jinx shook her head, a cruel laugh passing her lips. "Sure you do. I could snap at any moment."

"Jinx," Raven warned. "Control your emotions."

Jinx closed her eyes and pressed her fingers to her temple. "Is there a reason I still need to be here, Robin?"

"No. We can discuss your placement later."

Kid Flash glared at him. "Her placement is with me, in Keystone City. And we're going there now." He grabbed Jinx by the hand and led her out of Titans tower. At the foot of the base, he swept her up bridal style. In seconds he was standing in front of his apartment door, still angry.

He phased through the door and she head a click as he unlocked it. It swung open, revealing his stony face. "Get in."

Jinx moved past him and sat down on the couch. She glanced up at him, concerned. His regularly light blue eyes were now like fire, and she was afraid. "Wally-"

"Don't, Jinx," he sighed, sitting beside her. He let his face drop into his hands. "Just don't."

"I don't get what's bothering you," she muttered, crossing her arms.

His head snapped up. "Are you fucking kidding me, Jinx? Do you not recall what you just told us all back there?"

She recoiled. "It's in the past," she whispered. "It doesn't matter anymore."

Kid Flash grabbed her hands in his. "Jinx, don't say that. Don't say it doesn't matter, because it does. The fact that in some moment, somewhere in time, I could have lost you- it's killing me. So yes, it matters."

Her cat-like eyes stared at him in wonder. "Wally, please. It isn't a big deal, okay? I got low a couple times in my life and I didn't see a way out."

"When?" he asked, his voice strained. He closed his eyes, as if he were dreading the answer.

"What do you mean?"

"When was the last time you tried to kill yourself?"

Her next response was so quiet it was barely audible. "When- when I quit the Hive."

His eyes opened slowly, and they shone with tears. He blinked, and a single tear dripped from his left eye. Jinx reached up slowly and wiped it. "Please don't cry," she mumbled.

"Jinx, that was weeks ago. Why did you even consider it?"

She shrugged. "I was a freak, Wally. I had no where to go. No society would accept me. I couldn't find you, or anyone else to help. I was alone and confused." She tried to smile reassuringly, but failed. "I'm better now."

He shook his head. "No. There's no way you're suddenly better."

She placed her hand gently on his cheek. "Trust me, Wally. I'm fine." She leaned forward and kissed his forehead and stood. "I'm going to bed, alright? Sleep well."

Wally nodded as she left the room, horrible sadness and fury in his eyes.

Jinx made her way to her bedroom, her eyes already overflowing with tears. A single sob escaped from her throat and she pressed her palm against her mouth, willing herself to calm down. Tears streamed down her face as she lay in a fetal position in her bed. Her hands shook as she reached over to the nightstand and slowly opened the drawer. In the back corner sat a wrapped up sheet of cloth. She unwrapped it, revealing a stained razor.

She sat up and rolled up the sleeve of her uniform. Past scars danced along her pale wrist, some newer than others. She pressed the blade against her skin and dragged it, gasping as the first dots of blood appeared. She bit her lip as she slid the blade against another patch of skin, whimpering softly as more blood began to drip from her arm.

More tears slipped from her eyes and a few more sobs shook her body. She trembled violently as she resumed moving the blade against her skin. More blood streamed down her arms and onto her black dress.

She dropped the blade onto her lap and leaned her head back on the wooden headboard, admiring her new cuts. The sobs had stopped, but still a few rouge tears made their way down her face.

A knock sounded on her door then, and Jinx jumped. "Jinx?" Kid Flash called. "Can we talk please?"

She grabbed the blade from her lap and shoved it into the drawer along with the cloth. She roughly rolled her sleeve down and wiped her face. "Y-yes," she responded, rather hoarsely.

Kid Flash opened the door. He was now dressed in a plain white t-shirt and pajama pants. His eyes were red and puffy as if he had been crying as well. He moved to sit next to her on the bed. "I'm sorry," he murmured.

"For what?"

"Freaking out on you. I mean, I get that it's a personal thing, but Jinx, please don't hurt yourself."

Jinx looked at him and saw a tear forming in the corner of his left eye. "Wally, I'm so sorry you found out about this."

He smiled softly at her. "I just want you to be okay."

She leaned against him, and he put his arm around her. "Do you want to know the story?" she asked.

He sighed, and buried his nose in her hair, which had fallen out of their horns. He nodded slowly, pulling her closer to him.

She took a deep breath. "I grew up in a family of outcasts. My brother Robbie had blue hair, and I had pink hair. My mom died when I was about ten in an explosion that I caused, leaving my brother and I with our villainous dad and soon his awful wife, Helen.

Dad wasn't the most affectionate father, and he expected a lot out of Robbie and me. When I was twelve, kids at school really started to bother me, so much that I my dad had to physically walk me into my classroom in the morning. The kids had always teased me, but as I got older, the taunts got harsher.

One day, a kid cut off a patch of my hair and asked if it would turn her into a witch like me. That's all I was to them- a witch. Robbie got a lot of crap, too, people called him son of a witch, a blue-haired faggot and bunch of other shit. When he came out to the family as being gay, Dad kicked him out, leaving just me and Helen.

When I was thirteen, that's when I started getting really depressed. I didn't have anyone to look up to, seeing my dad was always doing business things, and Helen was a bitch. All of my teachers were frightened of me, and Robbie was gone. I had no one to talk to, so I tried other stuff. I tried drinking, drugs... none of it worked. So then I started cutting and burning. It's like the physical pain kind of leaked the emotional pain away.

One day, Helen walked in on me cutting and instead of helping or trying to stop me, she just muttered something about my being a witch and left the room. That's sort of when I hit rock bottom. That night, I tried to hang myself, but the rope snapped. I tried taking pills, but I ended up getting the flu and puking everything I consumed up right away. It's like my body was hexing itself to keep me alive." Jinx stopped, and looked up at Kid Flash, who's eyes were closed. Tears streamed down his face.

"Jinx," he whispered, "don't stop."

Jinx took another shaky breath. "Helen told my dad when he got home the next week and acted really upset, as if she cared about me. Dad got pissed off and considered bombing the neighborhoods where the kids who bullied me lived, but I convinced him not to. Instead he sent me to some school for people who are different. The Hive Academy. That place was shitty and awful and the physical and verbal abuse I went through wasn't anything compared to what I went through in normal school. Then Cyborg and the Titans infiltrated the place and shut it down. Gizmo and I formed the Hive Five, where I dealt with their moronic tendencies and the embarrassment of being a failure for two years, until you got me out."

Kid Flash opened his eyes and peered down into Jinx's. Jinx reached up and wiped his eyes. "Don't pity me, please," she murmured, cupping his cheek in her palm.

He nodded slowly, his eyes searching her. They stopped on her wrist, which was slightly exposed. He reached up and grasped it in his hand, causing Jinx to hiss in pain. He slowly rolled up her sleeve and his breath hitched as he was greeted with her blood-streaked arm, decorated in cuts.

"Jinx-"

She pulled her arm away, pulling the sleeve down. Kid Flash wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close against him. He held her close and she grabbed a fistful of his shirt, trembling as more sobs racked her body.

Kid Flash gently pulled the blanket over them and turned off the lamp in the room, leaving them immersed in darkness. He held Jinx to his chest as he readjusted so that he was laying down. Jinx snuggled closer to him, tears dripped off her nose.

"Don't do it anymore," he whispered, pain evident in his voice. "Please."

Jinx nodded slowly. "I'm sorry, Wally."

He kissed her forehead. "Never again, Jinx."

She laced her fingers through his. "Never again," she whispered, closing her eyes and nuzzling her nose against his chest.

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**A/N: There you have it. Sorry it was so short, but I got what I wanted to get out across. I hope it was okay and all. Review and whatnot. **

** _Al**


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